Moral Reasoning, Gender and Student Participation while in College

This dissertation aims to understand the motivations and influences that drive male and female students’ participation in experiences that research demonstrates to have a positive impact on students’ moral reasoning development while in college. Moral reasoning is an important aspect of student development that contextualizes how students make decisions and view themselves as part of a larger whole. Research has demonstrated that several factors may positively impact one’s moral reasoning development while in college, including certain academic, cultural and social experiences. However, exisiting literature suggests that gender may be a factor in moral reasoning development, often suggesting that college women achieve higher levels of moral reasoning while in college. Through semi-structured interviews of male and female college juniors and seniors, this study explores the motivations and influences that impact participation choices while in college. The findings suggest both similarities and differences across gender, which may shed light on possible gender differences in moral reasoning outcomes in college. Better understanding the role that gender plays in student choices could inform college administrators around issues that impact student participation and, therefore, meaningful development while in college